Spacer for spacing apart balls in an apparatus for lapping and/or grinding balls and apparatus for lapping and/or grinding balls

Abstract

An apparatus for lapping and/or grinding balls includes at least one disc having at least one encircling ball groove configured to receive and guide a plurality of balls, and a plurality of spacers each having a pocket configured to receive a respective one of the plurality of balls. Each of the pockets has a first region having a first diameter and a second region having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for lapping and/or grinding balls comprising:
 at least one disc having at least one encircling ball groove configured to receive and guide a plurality of balls, and   a plurality of spacers each having a pocket configured to receive a respective one of the plurality of balls,   wherein each of the pockets has a first region having a first diameter and a second region having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein each of the pockets is conical.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein an outer surface of each of the plurality of spacers is cylindrical.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 ,
 including a guide element for guiding the spacer.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the guide element has a U-shaped profile.   
     
     
         6 . A system comprising:
 an apparatus according to  claim 1 , and   the plurality of balls,   wherein the first diameter of the pocket is based on a starting size of the balls and the second diameter of the pocket is based on a final size of the balls.   
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the apparatus and the balls are configured so that each of the plurality of balls is freely rotatable in a respective one of the plurality of pockets.   
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein a thickness of the spacer is based on an angle of contact of the balls in the at least one ball groove.